Sounds of Northern Michigan: On the Banks of Twenty-Two Creek
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This episode is for a friend that is fighting the occasional sleepless night. The last episode (wind noise) didn’t help him so I thought I’d record some creeks sounds, in the hopes it does the trick. Here’s to the original hobbit hailing from Lowell by way of East Kentwood and East Lansing. A brother, friend and fellow Spartan.
Welcome to episode 21 of the Nature is my Jam podcast! As always, I’m happy to see you again. This week, we are on the banks of Twenty-Two Creek in my hometown of Traverse City, Michigan. Twenty-Two Creek is a shallow and meandering creek that runs along the North Country Scenic Trail and is a prominent feature in the Valley of the Giants. Its gentle gurgling sounds are the backdrop for views of stunning trees that are hundreds of years old.
While not a simple place to find if you aren’t familiar with the area, I am still surprised that more people don’t know about this amazing section of trail. I can access the trail from Scharmen Road where the NCT crosses. It is less than a mile from the road to get to this section of creek, which sits at the bottom of the Valley of the Giants. It is a beautiful hike and there will be a bench waiting for you where the creek intersects with the trail.
It’s nearly impossible to give a sense of scale to this massive oak tree. We should all heed its advice.
If the name sound familiar, it is because we were at the same location back in July for Episode 7. It is surprising how a few months can change the soundscape of an area so much. In July, the creek greeted us with the sounds of a Winter Wren, only in Michigan during their breeding season. In this episode, the wrens are gone, but we can hear Owls, as well as a persistent voice that I don’t recognize.
My sidekick, Sammie, is always happy to join me on a hike….. as long as she can wade in the creek. She has a rider in her contract that makes it so. She’s the best trail dog in the world.
I will be in Mexico when this episode gets published and am planning on coming back with some glorious sounds to share with you. Have a great week and look forward to chatting when I return.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and hope you enjoy this episode. Thanks again for your continued support!
Recording Summary:
Date and Time: 10/21/2022 | 04:15 AM
Location: Grand Traverse County, Michigan, USA
Landscape/Feature: Valley of the Giants and Twenty-Two Creek
Conditions: Unseasonably Warm, Clean
Recording Device: Zoom F6 Field Recorder
Microphone(s): Audio Technica BP 4025
Digital Audio Workstation: Adobe Audition